Rapunzel's Grave
by ariex04
Summary: Five years after the end of the play, the Baker takes his son to visit Rapunzel's grave in the woods. When they leave, they run into the Witch.


Author's Note: This is in second person. Don't ask me why, it just wanted to be written this way. Narrated by the Baker's son.

Characters: Baker, Witch, Baker's son.

* * *

You cling tighter to Father's hand, and you peer around his legs to look at the scary lady.

You've never been into the woods before, and you don't like them very much. The towering trees gaze down on you, and make you feel small. Shafts of light dance through the treetops, gone before you knew they were there. The quiet presses down on you, smothering you, telling you to go away, you're not wanted here...

You want to go home, but the lady is standing in front of you on the path.

"Hello, Witch," Father says.

You look up at him in surprise. Father has always taught you to be nice, and it's not very nice to call someone a witch, is it?

"Baker." The lady's voice is rough and grating. (You think to yourself that she sounds like the hinges at your house, the ones Father always says he'll fix but never does.)

Father says, voice firm but polite, "Excuse us, please." He tugs on your hand, and you follow him, staying close as he tries to walk around the lady. She steps in front of him.

The lady says, "So you finally discovered who she was, did you? It only took you, what, five years?" She is looking behind you and Father, to the round stone (a grave, Father called it) that Father took you to see. It has a bunch of letters on them, but you aren't sure what they mean: RAPUNZEL.

"Yes." Father's voice is sharper now. "Yes, it took me a long time, since you weren't exactly around to ask."

"I have far better things to be doing than consorting with fools like you."

Father stiffens, and the hand holding yours tightens a little bit. You don't like the lady, not one bit, and you want her to go away. You give her a nasty look. She doesn't notice.

Father, to your surprise, doesn't say anything about the nasty lady calling him a fool. "I understand that she was married to one of the princes?"

"Yes." The lady sounds angry now, too. You hope she doesn't turn Father into a frog or something. (Can witches do things like that? You aren't sure, and don't want to find out.)

"She had two children."

"Yes."

"Do you know what happened to them?" Father and the Witch are close together now, barely a foot apart. You, caught between staying close to Father and far away from the Witch, hang back, but without letting go of Father's hand.

"I took them. I was not about to allow that fool of a prince to raise Rapunzel's children." The Witch glares at Father. "I hope you are not entertaining the foolish idea that_ you_ have some claim on _my_ children."

Father says, "Don't worry, I wouldn't try to take them from you. I simply wanted to make sure that they were well cared for."

The Witch looks like she's more confused than anything else by this answer, but then her expression clears. "Considering your precious son, are you?" She looks straight at you for the first time. You back away, fast. "Smart of you. I would not hesitate to harm him, should you come near my children."

If you thought Father sounded angry before, it was nothing to how he sounds now. "Is that a threat?" His grip on your hand is painful now.

"A warning."

"I won't forget it," Father tells her. "Only-" He pauses, sounding unsure for the first time. "They are children, after all, and children usually enjoy the company of other children..."

The Witch looks at you again. You flinch, but she doesn't look mad or cruel any more, just thoughtful. The expression vanishes quickly, though, and you think that you must have imagined it. "They are perfectly fine with each other's company."

Father nods. "Of course. I just thought I'd offer. They are cousins, after all."

The Witch looks thoughtful again. "I will remember that. Now, if that's all..." She walks around you and Father. You press yourself against Father's legs, but she doesn't seem interested in you any more.

Father watches her go over to the big stone, and finally turns back to the path. You yank on his hand to make him go faster- you want to get out of these woods.

You don't say anything until you get home. It is only when you reach the comforting sight of the village that your curiosity returns. "Father, who was that?"

"Someone I used to know, a long time ago."

He is quiet for a long moment.

"Would you like to hear a story?"

"Yes!" You love stories, especially Father's; you're sure that he's the best story-teller in the whole world. You hold tighter to his hand and wait expectantly.

Father smiles at you. "Once upon a time, a beautiful girl lived in a tower, and she was called Rapunzel..."


End file.
